Now, Tiger's playing partner courts lady trouble at Australia Open

Published>Wed, Nov 10 10 01:21 PM

Melbourne, Nov.10 (ANI): Tiger Woods has to run into trouble with a lady at the Australian Pro-Am Golf Championships, but this time, the blame lies with his playing partner.

Woods was an innocent bystander at the Victoria Golf Club here when an errant shot by one of his playing partners struck a female spectator squarely in the leg on the third hole. On-course paramedics treated the woman, who reported to be in considerable pain, the Sydney Morning herald reports.

Woods is here to defend defend his Australian Masters title when the tournament tees off tomorrow. (ANI)

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Hauritz to return to natural bowling style, also to heed Ponting's advice

Published>Wed, Nov 10 10 01:17 PM

Sydney, Nov 10 (ANI): Australian spinner Nathan Hauritz, who appeared to be in disagreement with his skipper during India series over how to bowl, sees no contradiction in returning to his natural bowling style while also heeding the advice of Ricky Ponting.

Hauritz was adamant that he had bowl in the way that first brought him to the Australian side, but Ponting seemed equally sure Hauritz had to continue changing in order to be a more dangerous bowler.

Two weeks before the first Ashes Test, Hauritz said he was working on his own strengths and re-aligning himself with local conditions, while also keeping Ponting's words in mind.

"I think at the end of the day I listen to whatever he says, he is in my eyes the best Test batsman in the world, and he's faced a lot of spin," Hauritz said of Ponting.

"I think as a cricketer you've still got to expand and become a better player. I'm still trying to do different things, but I need to get back to what I do and focus on that," The Sydney Morning Herald quoted him, as saying.

Commenting on the adjustment from subcontinental pitches to Australian grounds, Hauritz said he would have little trouble making the change.

"It'll probably be easier for me because I didn't bowl real well in India. I probably bowled a little more Australian lines at times," he said.

"I haven't really thought too much about the adjustment, the main thing for me is to get back to doing what I did when I first came on the scene and try not to change too much. India was a tough tour but definitely something I will learn a lot from," Hauritz said. (ANI)

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Now, Tiger's playing partner courts lady trouble at Australia Open

Published>Wed, Nov 10 10 01:07 PM

Melbourne, Nov.10 (ANI): Tiger Woods has to run into trouble with a lady at the Australian Pro-Am Golf Championships, but this time, the blame lies with his playing partner.

Woods was an innocent bystander at the Victoria Golf Club here when an errant shot by one of his playing partners struck a female spectator squarely in the leg on the third hole. On-course paramedics treated the woman, who reported to be in considerable pain, the Sydney Morning herald reports.

Woods is here to defend defend his Australian Masters title when the tournament tees off tomorrow. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Haider received threats from fixers in past: Report

Wed, Nov 10 10 12:51 PM

London, Nov 10 (PTI) Pakistan wicket-keeper Zulqarnain Haider had received threats from match-fixers after he refused to abide by their instructions during a domestic game last year, according to a report here. A report in the Guardian newspaper claimed that Haider had received threats from fixers during a limited overs match between the Lahore Eagles and the National Bank in the RBS Cup in March 2009. Haider was captain of the Lahore Eagles for three months last year and during that time he was instructed by bookmakers to play a certain player. The Lahore Eagles later sacked Haider as captain on the eve of the game, apparently because he refused to pick particular players for the match. The 24-year-old wicket-keeper specifically objected to the inclusion of a right-arm pacer called Usman Sarwar, who had never played for the team before, the report added. Tainted former Pakistan skipper Salman Butt, who is currently under investigation for match-fixing during the Lord''s Test, was a member of the National Bank team along with Wahab Riaz, who has also been questioned by British investigators, and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal. Incidentally, the Pakistan Cricket Board lodged an investigation into the match but later gave it a clean chit, saying that they found no evidence of foul play.

Source: Published>

England top six batsmen have underperformed: Flower

Published>Wed, Nov 10 10 12:37 PM

London, Nov 10 (ANI): Coach Andy Flower has put pressure on England batsmen by saying that they have under-performed for two years, and asked the top six to score in a big way in the Ashes series.

Skipper Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell will be under pressure to deliver match-winning totals as demanded by the coach.

"First innings totals will be very important here. I don't think our batsmen have performed as well as they would like over the last couple of years. Yes, that is an area we can improve," FLower said.

England top six batsmen are likely to face South Australia tomorrow as Flower tries to get the team for the First Test on November 25 into top form, The Sun reports.

"These batsmen are still better than anybody else. They are quality international players. But we are always looking to improve and set high expectations for them," he said.

Strauss has not made a Test century since his 161 against Australia at Lord's in July 2009.

Cook only guaranteed his selection for The Ashes with a century against Pakistan at the Brit Oval in August.

Trott was England's most consistent batsman last summer, while Pietersen is still striving to recapture his best form after an Achilles operation.

Collingwood finished the summer with a dismal 37 runs in five Test innings and Bell missed most of the second half of the season with a broken bone in his foot. (ANI)

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Flower says his powers are not about being fair to everyone in England squad

Published>Wed, Nov 10 10 12:21 PM

Adelaide (Australia), Nov.10 (ANI): England cricket team coach Andy Flower has said that his job is not about being fair to everyone in the squad.

Flower, who was speaking ahead of England's three-day fixture against South Australia starting in Adelaide on Thursday, said he would make no apologies for giving his first-choice cricketers ample outings ahead of the first Test against Australia starting November 25.

"One of our priorities is not to give everyone a go. It's not about trying to be fair to everyone. We are trying to prepare our Test side for Brisbane, that is the priority," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Flower, as saying.

"When you've got a squad of 16 or 17, obviously everyone wants to play, everyone's very proud to represent their country, whether in preparation games or internationals. But our priority is to ensure that our Test XI is as ready as possible for the first Test," he added.

While refusing to talk about selection specifics, or name a side until just before the toss, Flower's comments point to fringe players again not getting a look in against the Redbacks.

Meanwhile, Australian interest in the Adelaide encounter centers on emerging SA batsman Callum Ferguson, touted a chance to be named in Australia's first Test squad to be announced on Monday.

But SA captain Michael Klinger said the 25-year-old stroke player shouldn't be judged on his output against England.

Teams:

SA: Michael Klinger (captain), Aiden Blizzard, Ben Edmondson, Callum Ferguson, Peter George, Jake Haberfield, Daniel Harris, Tim Lang, Graham Manou, Tom Moffat, Aaron O'Brien, James Smith (12th man to be named)

England: To be announced. (ANI)

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Japan will be cheered, not jeered, says China team chief

Published>Wed, Nov 10 10 12:17 PM

Japan's athletes have little to fear from local fans at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, a senior Chinese official said on Wednesday, despite worsening relations between the Asian powers in recent weeks.

Sino-Japan ties have deteriorated sharply since the Japanese coast guard detained a Chinese trawler captain in September after their boats collided near disputed isles in the East China Sea.

Japan has warned its athletes at the Nov. 12-27 Asian Games not to antagonise their Chinese hosts by talking politics, while security forces have been on high alert in the Pearl River Delta city for signs of tensions boiling over into crowd misbehaviour.

China's deputy chef de mission Tian Xu said local fans were mature enough to separate sport from politics, however, and would welcome the Japanese athletes along with all international teams at the massive multi-sport event.

"Recently, on the political stage there have been some clashes, but this is normal in international relations," Tian told reporters.

"Today we talking about sport, not diplomacy."

"It's not like 30 years ago. After reform and opening up, people's attitudes and opinions towards who wins or loses have changed a lot.

"The Chinese spectators will also cheer for the Japanese team."

POLICE PRESENCE

Despite Tian's forecast, local organisers are taking no chances and posted thousands of security personnel in the crowd during China's 3-0 defeat by Japan during a soccer pool match on Monday.

While sections of the crowd hurled abuse at visiting fans on occasion, the match passed without incident, helped by a wall of armed police flanking the small pocket of Japanese fans and barring them from leaving the stadium until the local crowd had made their exit.

"We can see that Guangzhou people behaved themselves and we foresee that the following events will pass well," Tian said.

Organisers dodged questions as to whether security forces would be bolstered for future Japan-China clashes, only to say that measures would be carried out "in accordance to the demands of the venues."

Ugly crowd behaviour has frequently marred contests between the bitter sport rivals in China. The soccer team's loss to Japan in the final of the Asian Cup in 2004 sparked rioting by local fans who burned Japanese flags in the capital Beijing.

Organisers said they were fully confident in their security preparations amid simmering political disputes between competing countries, but declined to elaborate as to any specific threats targeting the four-year event.

The Asian Games will hold its opening ceremony on Friday.

Source: Web Search

Spurs held by Sunderland, Stoke end dire run with win

Published>Wed, Nov 10 10 04:37 AM

Tottenham Hotspur suffered another Premier League setback on Tuesday when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Sunderland at White Hart Lane, where a week ago they overwhelmed European champions Inter Milan.

Spurs followed up that memorable victory by losing 4-2 to Bolton Wanderers on Saturday and their hopes of edging back towards the top four were further hampered by Steve Bruce's Sunderland.

The hosts started well and Tom Huddlestone crashed an early shot against a post.

Spurs though could not find a way through until the 64th minute when Gareth Bale, destroyer-in-chief against Inter, crossed for Peter Crouch to nod the ball down for Rafael van der Vaart to score his seventh goal of the season.

The lead lasted only three minutes as a defensive mix-up between Younes Kaboul and William Gallas allowed Asamoah Gyan to nip in for the equaliser.

Spurs and Sunderland started the day side by side in seventh and eighth positions on 15 points and ended it one point and one place better off.

The night's other match was full of action as Birmingham City, 2-0 down at Stoke City, fought back to 2-2 for the second time in four days only for the hosts to snatch a winner after four successive league defeats.

Stoke led through Robert Huth's first-half effort and Ricardo Fuller's dazzling solo effort after 71 minutes.

Birmingham, who rallied to earn a 2-2 draw against West Ham United on Saturday, did so again with two goals in two minutes by Keith Fahey and Cameron Jerome.

Dean Whitehead then seized on some ragged defending to bundle in Stoke's winner five minutes from time.

The rest of the Premier League are in action on Wednesday with Manchester City's game against Manchester United the pick of the fixtures.

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Zulqarnain seeks asylum, quits internationals

Published>Wed, Nov 10 10 02:17 AM

Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider is seeking asylum in Britain after fleeing from Dubai because he feared for his safety after being ordered to cooperate with match-fixers.

Zulqarnain said he was forced to apply for asylum because of the circumstances that made him leave the team hotel in Dubai.

"I had no intention of applying for asylum. I have put my cricket career at stake. I could have earned much more coming here as a Pakistani player without any issues," the wicketkeeper, told Geo News Channel.

Zulqarnain, 24, also announced his international retirement after being approached by a person who asked him to fix the fourth and fifth one-day internationals against South Africa.

"I have decided it is best for me to retire from international cricket since my family and I are constantly getting threats," he said.

"It is best for me to step down because I can't play in these circumstances. But I would like to continue to play domestic cricket."

Zulqarnain was a member of the Pakistan squad whose tour of England this year degenerated into chaos when test captain Salman Butt and opening bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were suspended following spot-fixing allegations.

A newspaper report said the trio had arranged for deliberate no-balls to be delivered in the fourth and final test against England.

The International Cricket Council's (ICC) Anti-Corruption and Security Unit upheld the provisional suspensions on Butt and Amir after the pair appealed. Asif withdrew his appeal in order to give his lawyers more time to prepare their case.

Their fate will now be determined by an independent tribunal which will meet at a date yet to be set.

The ICC said on Sunday it was impressed by the Pakistan Cricket Board's response to its request to review the integrity of the game at all levels.

The initiatives include the development of an anti-corruption code, a proposed plan to regulate players' agents and an enhanced nationwide education programme.

INTIKHAB SURPRISED

Zulqarnain, who hit the winning runs in the fourth one-day match on Friday, left the team hotel shortly before the fifth which was won by South Africa to clinch the series 3-2.

He landed in London hours after leaving Dubai and spent almost four hours locked in discussions with immigration authorities.

Speaking about his decision to leave, he said: "I was told to cooperate or I would face lot of problems.

"This person approached me while I had gone out of the hotel for dinner. He told me cooperate with us and you can make a lot of money.

"He said, 'If you don't cooperate you will no longer be part of the team and we can make life very difficult for you'."

Pakistan manager Intikhab Alam said Zulqarnain's sudden departure had been a surprise.

"He never spoke to me about any of this. I am not a magician to know what is going on in the mind and heart of a person," Intikhab said.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said the issue was a matter for the team management in the first instance.

"We would of course be interested in speaking to him but nobody knows where he is," he told reporters. "So we won't make any comments until we are able to establish the facts."

Source: Web Search

Q&A - Contador faces ban as UCI calls for action

Wed, Nov 10 10 01:57 AM

Alberto Contador faces an uncertain future in cycling after the sport's governing body (UCI) asked the Spanish cycling federation (RFEC) to open disciplinary proceedings against him for failing a drugs test.

The 27-year-old Spaniard, a three-time Tour winner, tested positive for a small amount of the banned anabolic agent clenbuterol on the second rest day of this year's race and has said he may end his career if he is given a ban.

Contador said the traces came from contaminated meat he had eaten, prompting a further investigation by the UCI and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) which led to Monday's request to the RFEC.

Q - What is clenbuterol?

A - Clenbuterol is an anabolic agent commonly used to treat breathing problems. It can be abused by athletes for weight loss and to enhance muscle size. It can have short-term stimulant effects, including increasing aerobic capacity, blood pressure and alertness.

Q - How long will it take before the RFEC rules?

A - An RFEC decision is expected within a month, or three months at the most. The federation is likely to act quickly so Contador can launch a possible appeal as soon as possible.

If the RFEC failed to resolved the case within three months it would automatically be handed on to Spain's anti-doping commission, which is overseen by the government sports council.

Q - What punishment can Contador expect?

A - A two-year ban is likely. His A and B sample were positive and although only a very small concentration showed up in his system it remains a straightforward positive test.

Q - What would happen if the RFEC cleared him?

A - That could trigger a swift reaction from the UCI, whose president Pat McQuaid has accused Spain of not doing enough to tackle doping in cycling. The UCI and WADA can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) if they feel the sanction is not stiff enough.

Q - What other options do the RFEC have?

A - They could hand Contador a shorter ban. American swimmer Jessica Harding had her ban reduced from two years to one after the American Arbitration Association said she did not take clenbuterol intentionally.

Q - What can Contador do if he is banned?

A - He also has the option of appealing to CAS.

Q - What will happen to the Tour de France title he won this year?

A - If he is banned, even for one day, he will lose it.

Source: Published>

Haider confirms seeking asylum in the UK

Wed, Nov 10 10 01:21 AM

London/Karachi, Nov 9 (PTI) Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider has confirmed that he had sought asylum in the UK after fleeing from the Pakistan team hotel in Dubai following threats from match-fixers. The 24-year old cricketer also said that he did not inform his team management or fellow cricketers about the issue as he did not want to put them at a risk. The 24-year old cricketer, for the first time clearly admitted having sought asylum for himself and his family in the UK, which he felt was the safest place to be after he got threats from persons who wanted him to fix the fourth and fifth one-day internationals against South Africa in Dubai. He also made the startling claim that the person who had approached him to fix the matches and threatened him with consequences if he did not cooperate, had stayed in the same hotel as the Pakistan team. Zulqarnain said in a late night interview to Geo News channel that he had never thought about seeking asylum in the UK until the threats became real for him. "I have come to the UK several times as a player and never thought about remaining here. I can earn much more coming here every year as a professional cricketer and playing for Pakistan," he said. "But now the circumstances have compelled me to seek asylum for myself and my family. I didn''t feel safe in Dubai and I don''t think I will be safe in Pakistan," he said, hours after announcing his retirement from international cricket. The wicketkeeper said he had been forced to flee to London after he allegedly received death threats for not cooperating with match-fixers. He said he did not approach the Pakistan team management or fellow players with his problems because he did not want to put them at a risk. "I feared for my safety and their''s as well that is why I took my passport from the manager by saying I wanted to buy a sim and slipped away to London," he said. He also made it clear that he would think about returning to Pakistan even if the government assured him security and for his family. "I would have to think and be sure the people who are behind trying to corrupt cricket are not responsible for getting me back to Pakistan," he said. He said he was aware that some people were claiming that he had staged this drama to seek asylum in the UK, but asserted that only he knew the circumstances he had been through. "I know the pressure and fear I have felt. Only because I am not willing to do anything wrong with my team and country," he added. Zulqarnain said he had been issued a temporary stay in the UK till his case was being processed and that he had been interviewed by the British border office and by the ICC anti-corruption unit and Scotland Yard at his hotel. Sky News earlier reported that around 10 police officers and at least two immigration officials went inside the hotel where Zulqernain was staying in London.

Source: Published>

Rossi rides Ducati for first time

Wed, Nov 10 10 01:17 AM

Former world champion Valentino Rossi managed 56 laps on his new Ducati bike at the first post-season MotoGP test on Tuesday.

The Italian, who has left Yamaha for his compatriot team, was asked not to push the Ducati too hard given the 2011 version is not fully ready.

Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo took the world title from Rossi this season and again showed his form by topping the timesheets in the test.

Casey Stoner was also in action with Honda having finished his Ducati deal after Sunday's final race of the season in Valencia.

Source: Published>

ICC offers help to Haider, support to PCB

Wed, Nov 10 10 12:19 AM

Dubai, Nov 9 (PTI) The International Cricket Council tonight offered help to Pakistani wicketkeeper Zulkarnain Haider who fled from the UAE following death threats after he refused to fix matches. The ICC also offered its support to Pakistan Cricket Board in its current investigations into the reason behind Haider''s decision to leave the Pakistani team on the morning of final ODI against South Africa in the UAE. "Clearly, this is in the first instance a team matter for Pakistan cricket but the ICC is willing to provide assistance to PCB and the player", ICC chief executive Haroon Lorghat said. "We understand his plight, if reports are indeed true, but we can only help if he is willing to engage with us", he said. The 24-year-old keeper, who has played just one Test, four ODIs and three Twenty20 internationals, announced his retirement from international cricket three months after debuting and sought political asylum in England after dramatically deserting his team during the just-concluded ODI series against South Africa in the UAE. Haider said he received a message asking him to be a part of a match-fixing conspiracy ahead of the fourth one-dayer but refused to reveal the identity of the person who approached him. "I was approached by one person who asked me to fix the fourth and fifth match and there would be problem for me if I did not do it," Haider said.

Source: Published>

Indian women''s handball team will reach Asiad QF: Olympian

Wed, Nov 10 10 12:17 AM

Jamshedpur, Nov 9 (PTI) The Indian women''s handball team would reach the quarter-final round in the 16th Asian Games in China, former Olympian Harbhajan Singh said today. "I am confident that the Indian women''s team would reach the quarter-final stage even if it fails to secure a place in the last four," Singh, who represented India at the 1979 Asian Handball Championship in China, told PTI here. Singh had also represented the country in basketball in the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. On the prospect of the Indian eves in handball at the November 12-27 Games, Singh said the Guangzhou event will give an opportunity "for our girls to perform at the international level". "We have some good and experienced players who need more international exposure," he said. Singh hailed the move of the Handball Federation of India in appointing Poonam Roy, teacher of a local school, as the team coach and selecting a tribal girl Pano Mardi in the team, for the first time from Jharkhand. While Mardi was the first tribal girl to represent the country from the state, Roy was the coach of women''s team that won the South Asian Championship in Lucknow two years back. PTI BS AMD SUS PDS

Source: Published>

Haider family asks him to return home

Tue, Nov 09 10 11:07 PM

Karachi, Nov 9 (PTI) The family of Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider today asked him to return home from London where he has fled after leaving the Pakistan team hotel in Dubai hours before the fifth and final one-day international against South Africa. "He should return to Pakistan or if he has issues coming back home because of the threats he should at least come back to Dubai and join the team again," his brother Aqeel Haider said. "His wife and children are also very concerned about him and believe he should be back at home they don''t want to go to London," he said. Haider''s wife Qurutul Ain appeared on a television channel with her father-in-law pleading for her husband to return at least to Dubai. Haider landed in London late last night claiming he had got death threats from unidentified persons after refusing to cooperate with them in fixing the one-day series against South Africa in Dubai. The wicketkeeper was questioned by officers of Scotland Yard and International Cricket Council Anti-Corruption unit in London today. ''Geo News'' channel said that Haider had applied for political asylum in the United Kingdom and the British border and home office had started the process of reviewing his asylum application. "Presently they have told him to not move out of the hotel without informing them and have also taken his mobile for further investigation," the channel reported. Wajid Shamsul Hasan, the Pakistan ambassador in the UK, said that so far Haider had not approached him for any assistance. "I don''t know about his getting political asylum in this country because the UK government only gives political asylum to those people who are being prosecuted by their governments," Hasan said. "I don''t know what has happened with him but certainly he has not followed the proper channels so far. As far as his returning to Pakistan is concerned and his fears about his security I can tell you the government can provide him security," he added.

Source: Published>

Indian women''s handball team will reach Asiad QF: Olympian

Tue, Nov 09 10 10:21 PM

Jamshedpur, Nov 9 (PTI) The Indian women''s handball team would reach the quarter-final round in the 16th Asian Games in China, former Olympian Harbhajan Singh said today. "I am confident that the Indian women''s team would reach the quarter-final stage even if it fails to secure a place in the last four," Singh, who represented India at the 1979 Asian Handball Championship in China, told PTI here. Singh had also represented the country in basketball in the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. On the prospect of the Indian eves in handball at the November 12-27 Games, Singh said the Guangzhou event will give an opportunity "for our girls to perform at the international level". "We have some good and experienced players who need more international exposure," he said. Singh hailed the move of the Handball Federation of India in appointing Poonam Roy, teacher of a local school, as the team coach and selecting a tribal girl Pano Mardi in the team, for the first time from Jharkhand. While Mardi was the first tribal girl to represent the country from the state, Roy was the coach of women''s team that won the South Asian Championship in Lucknow two years back. PTI BS AMD SUS PDS

Source: Published>

Major-winning trio lock horns in Singapore

Published>Tue, Nov 09 10 10:17 PM

The Singapore Open firmly seizes golf's spotlight this week as three of the four major champions of 2010 battle a quality field for a share of $6 million in prize money.

Graeme McDowell (U.S. Open), Martin Kaymer (PGA Championship), Phil Mickelson (Masters) join holder Ian Poulter in the hunt for a $1 million first prize at Asia's richest national Open.

The only major winner missing is British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen who was forced to pull out with a troublesome ankle injury on Tuesday.

Sponsors Barclays announced in September they would ramp up prize money by $1 million for the Nov. 11-14 tournament, co-sanctioned by the European and Asian tours, making it the joint richest event on the European Tour outside of the majors and the World Golf Championships.

Two separate courses -- Serapong and Tanjong -- are being used for the first time this week and flamboyant Briton Poulter is looking forward to defending his title in the city-state.

"If you perform well on a golf course the previous year, there'll be expectations of you to do well again," he told a news conference.

"I played exceptionally well last year and if I can put in a similar kind of performance, it'll be nice ... I've got high expectations for myself and I'm sure the people have the same expectations of me as well."

Poulter, who notched a wire-to-wire victory last year, beating China's Liang Wenchong by a stroke, said the depth and quality of the field made it crucial not to focus on individual rivals.

"The major winners are here and they are going to be competing very hard," he added. "I'm not going to think who I'm going to beat ... I'm not going to single anyone out."

RECAPTURE FORM

The Singapore Open could also have a major impact on the race for the Asian Tour's Order of Merit title, with 19-year-old South Korean Noh Seung-yul enjoying a rich vein of form that may see him extend his lead in the standings.

Compatriot Yang Yong-eun is looking to recapture the form that saw him become Asia's first major winner with victory at the 2009 PGA Championship.

"This year has been a bit of a disappointment for me especially after 2009," said Yang who had a top-10 finish at this year's Masters and picked up victories in China and Korea.

"For many players it would have been a successful year but after the personal highs in 2009 it has been a bit disappointing especially as I have not won on the PGA Tour, where I play the majority of my golf."

Among the other Asian talent vying for the title are Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee, Chinese Taipei's Lin Wen-tang and India's Jyoti Randhawa.

Source: Web Search

PCB told to omit Kamran, Kaneria from WC squad: sources

Tue, Nov 09 10 10:07 PM

Karachi, Nov 9 (PTI) Pakistan selectors are unlikely to pick experienced wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria in their provisional squad of 30 for the 2011 World Cup in the sub-continent. Sources told PTI that Pakistan Cricket Board has been told in clear terms by the ICC to ensure the two players don''t feature in any national team until the ongoing investigations into the spot fixing allegations against Salman Butt, Muhammad Aamir and Muhammad Asif are completed. The ICC had given a list of players to the PCB making it clear they should not be playing for Pakistan till the investigations are completed, one well-placed source said. "There are clear directives from the ICC that Kamran should not be in the team until further notice," the source said. "Butt and Aamir will also not play in the World Cup," the source added. Pakistan will have to announce its 30-member provisional World Cup squad by November 30. The selectors today also ignored Kamran while picking his younger brother Adnan Akmal to join the Pakistan squad in Dubai for the forthcoming two-Test series against South Africa. The snub to Kamran came after he scored a half century in his last match for National Bank. The selectors had also ignored him for the full series against South Africa although his performance in the one-day series against England was satisfactory. The initial reason given for ignoring Kamran while announcing the one-day and Test squads against South Africa was that was he not 100 per cent fit. But surprisingly the seasoned wicketkeeper-batsman was back in action in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy but ignored for the Tests against South Africa. His replacement Zulqarnain Haider left PCB embarrassed when he fled from the team hotel in Dubai to land in London claiming he had got threats after refusing to cooperate with fixers during the one-day series against South Africa. Kaneria, the most experienced Test bowler, was named in the squad for the two Tests against South Africa but stopped from boarding the flight to Dubai last week by the PCB. "I have still not been given any reason for why they didn''t allow me to go to Dubai," said Kaneria who is also active in domestic cricket. There are also speculation that Muhammad Asif decided to withdraw his appeal against his provisional suspension imposed by the ICC last month because he was made aware of the evidence the ICC ACU has collected against the three suspended players including Butt and Aamir. Sources said that it was because of the spot-fixing allegations against the players in the national team that PCB had been forced to accept terms and conditions of the ICC and agreed to take measures to improve its administration and anti-corruption measures.

Source: Published>

I also got threats in domestic cricket: Haider

Tue, Nov 09 10 09:51 PM

Karachi, Nov 9 (PTI) Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider, who today quit international cricket over death threats for refusing to cooperate with match-fixers, claimed that he also received threats while playing in domestic cricket also. In an interview to ''Geo News'' today, Haider said he had also received threats to include certain players in his team in domestic matches. "Yes I have got threats that I should play so and so player or not play that player and over matches," he said. Interestingly, Haider was removed as the captain of the Lahore Eagles team in March last year just before a match against National Bank in a domestic one-day tournament that later became a talking point in the cricket community. Apparently, Haider, who had led the Lahore team in the national one-day competition until that match, refused to be part of a conspiracy to "fix" the game as National Bank, one of the strongest and most influential teams on the domestic circuit, needed to win it and also improve their run-rate to qualify for the final. What transpired in the match was highly debatable as the Lahore team first scored 122 in 40.3 overs, with Haider getting out for a duck and then National Bank responded with 123 for no loss in only 6.1 overs. Salman Butt, who is currently suspended by the ICC for his alleged role in the spot-fixing scandal in England in August, scored 92 from just 25 balls hitting an amazing 16 fours and four sixes at the LCCA ground. The talking point was that Lahore fielded a pace bowler by the name of Usman Sarwar who conceded 78 runs in three overs and that match remains his only game for Lahore to date. After the match it transpired that Haider was forcibly removed as captain by officials because he refused to go according to the script and field the rookie Usman Sarwar. Although there were media reports and questions raised over the legality of the match because of its inexplicable finish the Pakistan Cricket Board later said it had found no evidence of foul play in the match in which Kamran Akmal, Muhammad Aamer and Wahab Riaz also featured for the bankers. National Bank qualified for the final and were beaten in by PIA in the summit clash.

Source: Published>

Bengal-Mumbai Ranji tie promises keen competition

Tue, Nov 09 10 09:21 PM

Kolkata, Nov 9 (PTI) A keen competition is on the cards as Bengal take on champions Mumbai in their second Ranji Trophy super league tie at Eden Gardens here tomorrow. Though both Bengal and Mumbai started the season well bagging three points against Delhi and Saurashtra respectively in their first outings, Mumbai who have won this coveted trophy for a record 39 times earlier, looked more confident than their hosts. "It will be well contested match which we want to win," Ajit Agarkar, the most experienced Mumbai player, said. Mumbai skipper Wasim Jaffer is in fine form having scored a century in each innings of their match against Saurashtra. Besides, Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane are there to add to their batting strength. The visitors also have an edge in bowling with veteran Agarkar leading the pace attack along with Abhisek Nayar and Dhawal Kulkarni and Aavishkar Salvi while Ramesh Power and Iqbal Abdullah are likely to take charge of spin department. Jaffer said his side would announce their first eleven tomorrow morning before the match. Bengal coach W V Raman said, "We will try to play according to our strength. We have started well which gave a boost to our morale." "The playing eleven will be decided tomorrow after having a final look on the pitch before the start of the game on Wednesday morning," he said. Bengal skipper Manoj Tiwari said the home team is not complacent. "Mumbai have won this trophy for so many times and are a very strong side. We want to keep up the momentum we got after Delhi match," he said. Apart from Tiwari, the hosts will depend on opener Arindam Das who scored 156 against Delhi to help Bengal get three points against Delhi. Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Rohan Banerjee and wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha are also there to lend able support. In bowling, the hosts'' pace attack would be spearheaded by experienced Ranadeb Bose, who bagged 11 wickets when Mumbai last played their Ranji match against Bengal in 2006, and Ashok Dinda.

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Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain not seeking asylum

Tue, Nov 09 10 09:17 PM

Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider, who fled from Dubai to London because he said he feared for his safety after being ordered to cooperate with bookmakers, said on Tuesday he was not seeking political asylum.

Zulqarnain told the televison channel Geo News that he had been interviwed by British police, the border control agency and the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit.

"The border agency has taken my fingerprints and isued me a temporary stay," he said.

"I had no intentions of applying for political asylum at this stage and, if the Pakistan government is ready to give me assurance of security for me and my family, I am ready to return to Pakistan.

"I have no issues playing for Pakistan again provided the Pakistan Cricket Board wants me to play."

Earlier Zulqarnain said he was retiring from international cricket since he and his family were "constantly getting threats".

He left the team's hotel in Dubai before the fifth and final one-day international against South Africa.

"I was told to cooperate or I would face lot of problems," he said.

"This person approached me while I had gone out of the hotel for dinner. He told me cooperate with us and you can make a lot of money.

"He said, 'If you don't cooperate you will no longer be part of the team and we can make life very difficult for you'."

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21 runners from Hyderabad participated in Athens Marathon

Tue, Nov 09 10 09:07 PM

Hyderabad, Nov 9 (PTI) Twenty-one amateur runners from Hyderabad successfully participated in the recently-concluded 28th Athens Marathon. The Hyderabad runners joined about 12,500 other amateur marathon runners from 88 countries across the golbe, who tested their running skills and endurance levels by successfully completing the 42.195 km race, Hyderabad Runners Group, an NGO, that promotes active participation in marathon races said in a release. The age of the runners from Hyderabad was between 34 and 63 years and all of them had taken to running in the last two or three years. Among the runners included doctors, a scientist and a police official. During the last three-and-half years, Hyderabad Runners has organised several races locally and the group members have participated in marathons in New York, Amsterdam as also in Mumbai and Delhi, the release added.

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Bengal defeat Orissa in women''s cricket championship

Tue, Nov 09 10 08:21 PM

Dhanbad, Nov 9 (PTI) Defending champions Bengal defeated Orissa by seven wickets in the East Zone senior inter-state women''s cricket championship at the Railway stadium here today. In another match, Jharkhand brought Tripura''s winning run to an end, beating them by 48 runs at Digwadih stadium. Batting first after winning the toss, Orissa scored 101 for nine in their stipulated 50 overs. In reply, Bengal scored the required runs in 35.5 overs and with seven wickets to spare. Mandira (27) and Ananya (22 not out) were the major contributors with the bat for Bengal. Mandira''s 27 came off 46 balls and with the help of four hits to the fence. Kadambini (47; 6x4) was the top scorer for Orissa. Jhulan Goswami and Archana Das took two wickets each, conceding 14 and 25 runs, respectively. At Digwadih stadium, Jharkhand after scoring 196 for eight, bowled Tripura out for 148 in 49 overs. Seema Singh, who scored 69 runs with the help of eight boundaries, was the architect of the team''s victory, while Kavita Roy chipped in with 40. Rita Deb Burman of Tripura took three wickets for 18 while captain Anapurna claimed two for 43. Ganga was the highest scorer for Tripura with 35 while Reema Chakravarti scored 33. Rini Burman of Jharkhand took four for 29 in 9 overs. PTI COR AMD AH

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Hanover to train behind closed doors on Enke anniversary

Tue, Nov 09 10 08:17 PM

Hanover 96 players will train behind closed doors on Wednesday on the first anniversary of club captain and goalkeeper Robert Enke's death, the club said.

Hanover coach Mirko Slomka said it would not be right to have cameras around his players on such an emotionally charged day.

Enke committed suicide by jumping in front of an express train on Nov. 10, 2009 after years of battling depression. He was 32.

At the time he was Germany's first choice keeper just months before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

"It is not fitting that we are filmed on that day," Slomka told reporters on Tuesday. "We will train in peace and quiet in the stadium and of course we will be thinking of Robert. That is a given."

Enke's death sparked an outpouring of grief and sympathy across the country with his wife Teresa setting up a foundation in his name and dedicated to the research and treatment of depression.

German soccer chief Theo Zwanziger and national team coach Joachim Loew will lay a wreath at his grave on Wednesday while the club has organised several other events for fans to remember Enke.

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India, NZ arrive in Hyderabad for second Test

Tue, Nov 09 10 08:07 PM

Hyderabad, Nov 9 (PTI) India and New Zealand teams arrived here today for the second Test match to be held at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium from November 12-16. The players, after arriving in a private Charterd flight from Ahmedabad, headed straight to the hotel. The three Test-rubber is tied 0-0 after the first match in Ahmedabad ended in a draw. This will be the first time since 1988-89 that the Hyderabad Cricket Association would be hosting a Test match. PTI SJR VKV AH

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Hanover to train behind closed doors on Enke anniversary

Tue, Nov 09 10 07:57 PM

Hanover 96 players will train behind closed doors on Wednesday on the first anniversary of club captain and goalkeeper Robert Enke's death, the club said.

Hanover coach Mirko Slomka said it would not be right to have cameras around his players on such an emotionally charged day.

Enke committed suicide by jumping in front of an express train on Nov. 10, 2009 after years of battling depression. He was 32.

At the time he was Germany's first choice keeper just months before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

"It is not fitting that we are filmed on that day," Slomka told reporters on Tuesday. "We will train in peace and quiet in the stadium and of course we will be thinking of Robert. That is a given."

Enke's death sparked an outpouring of grief and sympathy across the country with his wife Teresa setting up a foundation in his name and dedicated to the research and treatment of depression.

German soccer chief Theo Zwanziger and national team coach Joachim Loew will lay a wreath at his grave on Wednesday while the club has organised several other events for fans to remember Enke.

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Kerala have a slight edge over J&K

Tue, Nov 09 10 07:37 PM

Perinthalmanna (Kerala), Nov 9 (PTI) Kerala will start as favourites when they take on Jammu and Kashmir in their second Group B Ranji Trophy Plate League match here tomorrow. Kerala had earned three points in their first match against Services by a virtue of their first innings lead, while J&K had lost their opening encounter against Maharashtra. The hosts will bank on their experienced allrounder Sreekumaran Nair, who scored 137 against Services, and Robert Fernandez and Rohan Prem to put up a big total on the board. Their bowling will be spearheaded by medium pacer Sony Cheruvattoor and spinners Nair and Sreejith. On the other hand, the visitors'' fortunes will depend on the performances of Arshad Bhatt, Raman Dutta and Javid Ahmed, who were in good nick in the previous match. Kerala captain Raiphy Vincent Gomez is being rested for this match after he sustained an ankle injury in the game against Services in Delhi. In his absence, vice-captain Robert Fernandez will lead the team. This is the first time Perinthalmanna cricket stadium will be hosting a Ranji trophy match.

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Pace looks to qualify for the 2010 LPGA Tour

Tue, Nov 09 10 07:21 PM

Gurgaon, Nov 9 (PTI) South African golfer Lee-Anne Pace is hoping to continue her rampaging form and win the Indian Open Ladies golf tournament starting on Thursday to enhance her chances of qualifying for the 2011 LPGA tour. Ladies European Tour money list leader Pace said she is aiming to win the USD 30,0000 event to stay on top of the order of merit and qualify for next year''s Ladies Professional Golf Association tour. "I would look to win this tournament. As it will help me to top the order of merit and allow me to get into the qualifying school for LPGA by the end of the year. So that would be the main aim this week," Pace said. The 29-year-old golfer from Mossel Bay won five titles this year and is coming into the tournament with two back-to-back triumphs in China. But this week, standing at her way would be English veteran golfer Laura Davies who is second in the European Tour''s Henderson Money List. Pace said she is looking forward to renewing her rivalry with the veteran golfer. "I was little bit behind Laura coming into Asia and it made a massive difference winning the first tournament. It was a good confidence booster. It is really nice to win when you really had to," she said at the pre-event media interaction. "She is a great player, a veteran and to win against her was great. It has definitely made me a better player and i m quite thankful to her. So it will be like renewing the rivalry, of course a friendly one," said Pace, who won the Sanya Ladies Open in Hainan and then the Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open in Suzhou. Others top golfers competing in the tournament would be Sweden''s Helen Alfredsson and Linda Wessberg, Norway''s Marianne Skarpnord and two-time winner and defending champion Phatlum Pornanong of Thailand. Indian challenge will be spearheaded by seasoned Smriti Mehra along with rising golfer Sharmila Nocollet, Saaniya Sharma and Nalini Siwach in the 122-member field of the 54-hole tournament, tri-sanctioned by Ladies European Tour, Ladies Asian Golf Tour (LAGT) and Women''s Golf Association of India (WGAI). "I know Simi quite well, she is a good player. She would be getting into the week with confidence as it is her home and crowd would support her," Pace said. "Phatlum is another good player. She is the defending champion and I think it would be tough this week," she said. MORE PTI ATK PDS

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Fernando Alonso has F1 title in his own hands

Published>Tue, Nov 09 10 07:17 PM

Berlin, Nov 9 (DPA) Fernando Alonso has the championship lead on his side as he aims to clinch the Formula One (F1) world title in a historic finale Sunday in Abu Dhabi.

But in a season of roller-coaster rides for all the stars, Red Bull drivers Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel and McLaren's Lewis Hamilton are also in the frame.

It is the first time in F1 history that four drivers are in the title race ahead of the season-ender.

A simple engine failure in Alonso's Ferrari could for instance open the door for the others, he may be shunted off the track by another driver, make a mistake himself or have yet another negative experience with the safety car as has happened already three times this season.

However, Alonso has a third career title in his own hands as championship leader. He has amassed 246 points from 18 of 19 races, with Webber on 238, Vettel on 231 and Hamilton on 222.

Under the current system, the top 10 drivers get points in a 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1 format.

Alonso has done his maths and says 'I just need to finish second. It does not matter who wins in Abu Dhabi if I finish second'.

The Spaniard can also afford third place if Webber does not win, and fourth or fifth if Webber and Vettel do not win.

Webber will secure the trophy if he wins and Alonso comes no better than third. A team order of sorts may be used if Vettel leads from Webber and Alonso in the final lap, as Ferrari also ordered Felipe Massa to let Alonso pass for victory at the German GP.

Vettel is on top if he wins ahead of Webber and Alonso places fifth at best.

This scenario would in fact produce a remarkable three-way tie on 256 points and Vettel would win the trophy because he has one fourth-place finish more than Alonso.

The podium place list of the top three in this case would be as follows: Vettel and Alonso 5-2-3, Webber 4-5-2.

Webber's lead in overall podium finishes would be to no avail due to his lesser amount of victories. Alonso and Vettel would be tied but the German has three fourth-place results to Alonso's two - from the Italian Grand Prix after a last-lap pit stop.

There are further possible scenarios of a first ever title decision by tiebreak, with Niki Lauda's 1984 title by 0.5 points over McLaren team-mate Alain Prost the closest decision up to now.

Hamilton, meanwhile, appears too far off the pace, 24 points behind Alonso.

The Briton would only add the 2010 crown to that from 2008 if he wins, Alonso does not pick up points, Webber places no better than sixth and Vettel no better than third.

'We have seen many times before that almost anything can happen in the last race of the season. It will take a miracle - but miracles can happen,' said Hamilton.

Hamilton has seen both sides of the emotional spectrum in a season-ender, both times in Brazil.

In 2007, he and then team-mate Alonso were stunned by just one point by Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.

The next year Hamilton pipped Ferrari's Felipe Massa by one point when he salvaged the required fifth place by overtaking Timo Glock late in the final lap.

Source: Web Search

Rudisha, Gay short-listed for world athlete of year award

Published>Tue, Nov 09 10 06:57 PM

Monte Carlo, Nov 9 (DPA) Kenyan middle distance sensation David Rudisha and American sprint star Tyson Gay are in a five-man shortlist for the World Athlete of the Year award, the International Association of Athletics Federations announced (IAAF) Tuesday.

The IAAF said that Rudisha, Gay, American 110 metres hurdler David Oliver, Norwegian javelin thrower Andreas Thorkildsen and Eritrean distance runner Zersenay Tadese make up the list.

Rudisha, 21, was arguably was the man of the season when he lowered the 800m world record twice to now 1 minute 41.01 seconds.

The winner will be announced at the World Athletics Gala on Nov 21 in Monte Carlo. The women's shortlist will be published Wednesday.

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Punjab hope to capitalise on home advantage

Tue, Nov 09 10 06:37 PM

Mohali, Nov 9 (PTI) With Yuvraj Singh lending stability to the middle order, Punjab would look to capitalise on home advantage when they take on Karnataka in their Ranji Trophy tie at the PCA stadium here tomorrow. The previous two seasons have not been that good for the hosts, and after having lost in the quarterfinals to Karnataka last season, Punjab would be desperately looking to seal a win on their home ground. While the Vinay Kumar-led Karnataka will be playing their first match of the season, Punjab had conceded the first-innings lead in their opener against Uttar Pradesh. Punjab''s middle-order looks solid, with skipper Pankaj Dharmani, Yuvraj Singh and the consistent Uday Kaul, capable of frustrating the opposition attack. Harmeet Singh Bansal, Navneet Singh and Bharat Lumba are the key pacers, who would be looking to exploit the bouncy PCA track, while Rahul Sharma and Sarabjit Ladda will take care of the spin department. Punjab also has high expectations from all-rounder Bipul Sharma. Due to an injury to spearhead Luv Ablish, the selectors have gone for Manpreet Singh Gony for tomorrow''s match. The team has undergone many training and conditioning camps recently, and PCA secretary, M P Pandove, had also warned the players to take their fitness seriously. "We will be looking to exploit the home conditions to our advantage. We have Yuvraj Singh in the side and that should help, but overall, it is going to be a tough match," Dharmani said. With the exception of all-rounder Sunil Joshi, the Karnataka team comprises of youngsters and are short on experience compared to Punjab. The likes of Robin Uthappa and Manish Pandey lend strength to Karnataka''s batting, but all eyes will be on K L Rahul, who will be making his Ranji debut. Abhimanyu Mithun will not be easy to face and the pacer will be high on confidence after finishing as the leading wicket-taker last season, in which Karnataka finished runners-up.

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India squander lead, suffer 1-2 loss to Qatar

Tue, Nov 09 10 06:27 PM

Guangzhou, Nov 9 (PTI) India let in two goals in the last 10 minutes after leading 1-0 to suffer a heartbreaking 1-2 loss to defending champions Qatar in their second group match of the Asian Games football competition here today. India, who lost 0-2 to Kuwait in their opening match, produced an impressive show and took the lead in the 18th through Dharmaraj Ravanan, who headed in a flag kick. Sukhvinder Singh''s boys dictated terms on their fancied opponents in the first half but conceded two late goals to end the match empty handed. Striker Jaralla Ali struck twice in the 80th and 88th minutes to break the hearts of the Indians. Both the goals came after first choice goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani had to be replaced by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu as the former suffered an injury in a collision with Qatari midfielder Saleh Mohamed during a scramble for the ball minutes after the resumption of second half. Not wanting to take any chances, Kattimani was taken to a local hospital for MRI scan and he was ruled out of any serious problems. Gurpreet was found out of position when Jaralla sent a looping header into the empty Indian goal for the equaliser in the 80th minute. Sukhvinder brought in striker Jagtar Singh in place of Balwant Singh in the 83rd minute but that did not make much difference in the Indian attack. Instead, India conceded a goal two minutes before the regulation time with Jaralla''s left footer from the edge of the box finding the target. The Indians went all out for a desperate equaliser in the last few minutes and four minutes of injury time but to no avail. India will now have to beat Singapore in their last Group D game on Thursday if they want to make it to the knock-out stage of the under-23 competition. The top two teams from each of four groups and the four best third-placed teams will qualify for the Round of 16. Three Indians -- Rowlinson Rodrigues, Robert Lalthlamuana and Khagembam Jibon -- were also booked for rough play. Coach Sukhvinder Singh started with the same eleven that began against Kuwait. Jeje Lalpekhlua was in the starting line-up despite a below par performance against Kuwait. Sukhvinder was happy with the performance of his boys and rued that they ended without any points. "We really played well today, much better than the Kuwait match. We created many chances and the way boys played in the first half, it was a treat to watch," Sukhvinder said. "We were unfortunate to concede two quick goals, which could have been avoided for sure. We also missed two sitters, Balwant missed a one-to-one chance, which could have changed the whole course of the game. On the whole, I am very much pleased with today''s performance," he said. "We are still not out of contention for a knock-out berth. We have to beat Singapore now," added the former JCT coach. Asked about Kattimani''s injury, Sukhvinder said, "We have done an MRI on him and the team doctor said there is nothing serious. His neck and spine are safe." PTI PDS CM

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Tevez still dreams of Rooney joining him at Man City

Published>Tue, Nov 09 10 06:21 PM

London, Nov 9(ANI): Manchester City captain Carlos Tevez has said that he would have loved to see Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney joining him at Eastlands.

Tevez's comment comes ahead of Wednesday's Premier League clash between the two clubs.

"I would have liked him to come here of course, but it was complicated for him to leave United," the Sun quoted Tevez, as saying.

"Wayne is a player of great quality. He was a teammate and a friend of mine at United and he is one of those men that it is better to have on your team than against you. For me he is the best English striker of recent years," he added.

Earlier, in a dramatic change of events, Rooney - who wanted to leave United - performed an incredible U-turn over his future by signing a new five-year contract.

Rooney, who was previously on 90,000 pounds per week, is now understood to be earning a basic salary in excess of 150,000 pounds per week.

The 25-year-old is now the highest-paid player at United, overtaking defender Rio Ferdinand. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

MCGrath's charity poll 'to gauge public opinion bowler's love life!'

Published>Tue, Nov 09 10 05:57 PM

Melbourne, Nov 9 (ANI): Glenn McGrath's own breast cancer charity foundation has conducted a poll to find people's general opinion on his engagement to Sara Leonardi.

The McGrath Foundation - set up by the former cricketer and his late wife to raise money for breast cancer care - is conducting a national poll to gauge public opinion on his new relation.

The Foundation has polled 1200 people, asking if it shows disrespect if the next Mrs McGrath-to-be accompanies the champion fast bowler to the Ashes, and whether the relationship had made them change their opinion of the foundation.

McGrath Foundation managing director Kylea Tink said the bulk of the survey's questions related to awareness of its work.

"What we're very conscious of doing is understanding where people are at and how they perceive us," News.com.au quoted her as saying.

"Glenn is a very important part of the foundation and his commitment is unwavering. His life is moving on and we want to make sure people are comfortable," Tink added.

However, McGrath's manager Warren Craig supported the survey done by the foundation.

"They are not asking people to comment on his relationship, they are asking if it impacts on their view of the foundation. Glenn is the chairman of the foundation and intimately involved. He spends a lot of time working on the foundation, I'm sure he's aware of the questions that have gone out," he said.

McGrath and the 28-year-old Italian-American have recently appeared in a game console television ad with the cricketer and his two children. (ANI)

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Tevez still dreams of Rooney joining him at Man City

Published>Tue, Nov 09 10 05:51 PM

London, Nov 9(ANI): Manchester City captain Carlos Tevez has said that he would have loved to see Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney joining him at Eastlands.

Tevez's comment comes ahead of Wednesday's Premier League clash between the two clubs.

"I would have liked him to come here of course, but it was complicated for him to leave United," the Sun quoted Tevez, as saying.

"Wayne is a player of great quality. He was a teammate and a friend of mine at United and he is one of those men that it is better to have on your team than against you. For me he is the best English striker of recent years," he added.

Earlier, in a dramatic change of events, Rooney - who wanted to leave United - performed an incredible U-turn over his future by signing a new five-year contract.

Rooney, who was previously on 90,000 pounds per week, is now understood to be earning a basic salary in excess of 150,000 pounds per week.

The 25-year-old is now the highest-paid player at United, overtaking defender Rio Ferdinand. (ANI)

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OC fails to generate expected revenue from CWG

Tue, Nov 09 10 05:37 PM

New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) Sports Minister M S Gill today informed the Lok Sabha that the Organising Committee (OC) of the Commonwealth Games has failed to generate the expected revenue from the event. After spending a huge amount of taxpayers'' money, the OC failed to achieve the target revenue of Rs 1708 crore from the October 3-14 event. "An amount of Rs 1708 crore was expected to be generated through revenue by the Organising Committee but it could not be achieved," Gill admitted while giving accounts of the revenues generated by ticket sales, sponsorship and advertising. "There were no earnings from advertisements as such. From the sale of tickets, OC earned 39.17 crore. From sponsorship amount, Rs 114.15 crore was received against the contracted value of Rs 375.05 crore and from international TV rights, Rs 173.71 crore was received against the contracted value of Rs 213.45 crore," Gill told the House. Asked to reveal the details of the total amount of funds spent and the sources from which the funds were mobilised and obtained including those from external agencies for conducting the Games, Gill said, "an amount of Rs 1669.42 crore was given by the government of India to the OC as loan for the organisation of the Games, against the total approved amount of Rs 1813.42 crore. "In addition, Rs 687 crore was given for Overlays (temporary fittings and fixtures) and Rs 87 crore as grant for Timing, Scoring and Result System (TSR) had also been approved as a loan to the OC. Out of the above, Rs 557.40 crore has been released for Overlays and Rs 81 crore for TSR and Sports Equipment," the sports minister added. Gill also said the funds from the external agencies had been received in respect of sale tickets and sale of international TV rights. "From the TV rights, USD 37,764,101 (equivalent to Rs 173.71 crore) has been received till date which does not include USD 5.05 million (Rs 23.23 crore) withheld as Tax deducted at source from the payments of Network Ten in Australia," the minister said.

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Archer Deepika wants tips from Tendulkar

Tue, Nov 09 10 05:23 PM

New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) It is not just budding cricketers who want to take tips from Sachin Tendulkar as Commonwealth Games gold medallist archer Deepika Kumari wants to have a chat with the iconic Indian batsman to know the secret of his over two-decade old consistency at the international level. "I have been a Tendulkar fan since I was a kid and I consider him my role model. It is my desire to meet him and have a long chat with him," Deepika told PTI-Bhasha. "He has been playing for the past 20 years and I want to know the secret of his longevity. I want to take tips of discipline and the zeal to play from him because like cricket, it is very important to be focussed and disciplined in archery. And there can be no better person than Tendulkar to guide me on this," she said. Now training for the upcoming Asian Games, Deepika said she would look to strike gold in the November 12 to 27 event in Guangzhou, China even though the lack of acclimatisation time might affect her performance. "I have been practicing hard but then I would be getting very less time to get acclimatised which would have an impact on my performance," she said.

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McGrath's own charity foundation question his new relation

Published>Tue, Nov 09 10 05:07 PM

London, Nov 9 (ANI): Glenn McGrath's own breast cancer charity foundation has raised a question against the bowler's engagement to Sara Leonardi.

The McGrath Foundation - set up by the former cricketer and his late wife to raise money for breast cancer care - is conducting a national poll to gauge public opinion on his new relation.

The Foundation has polled 1200 people, asking if it shows disrespect if the next Mrs McGrath-to-be accompanies the champion fast bowler to the Ashes, and whether the relationship had made them change their opinion of the foundation.

McGrath Foundation managing director Kylea Tink said the bulk of the survey's questions related to awareness of its work.

"What we're very conscious of doing is understanding where people are at and how they perceive us," News.com.au quoted her as saying.

"Glenn is a very important part of the foundation and his commitment is unwavering. His life is moving on and we want to make sure people are comfortable," Tink added.

Jane McGrath died in mid 2008 after a long battle with breast cancer, leaving McGrath to raise their children Holly and James.

She also left a legacy of raising awareness about the condition. (ANI)

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Haider did not come to team management for help: Intikhab

Tue, Nov 09 10 04:51 PM

Karachi, Nov 9 (PTI) Pakistan cricket team manager Intikhab Alam said wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider did not inform the management about the threats he claimed to have received from a person who wanted him to fix the fourth and fifth One-day Internationals against South Africa in Dubai. "No he didn''t inform me or anyone in the management about what was going on. He didn''t come to us for help," Intikhab said from Dubai. "I am not a magician to know what is going on in the mind and heart of a person. We had no idea what he was up to or thinking," the former Test captain said. Haider fled the team hotel in Dubai hours before the fifth one-dayer to reach London, claiming he was getting threats for not co-operating with a person who wanted to fix the one-day series. Haider today also announced his retirement from international cricket to Geo News channel saying he had taken the decision because there was lot of pressure on him and he was worried for his own safety and that of his family in Lahore. Intikhab said that the young keeper had taken his passport from him on the pretext of obtaining a new SIM for a mobile connection. "He told me he wanted to get a new SIM. How is the management supposed to know what is going on his mind," he questioned. Intikhab also refuted suggestions that there was a trust deficit between the players and the management due to which Haider didn''t report the threats to them. "There is no trust deficit at all. We are surprised he didn''t come to us. We are as surprised as everyone else because he did not give any indication at all about what he was planning to do," Intikhab said. The manager said that Haider had spent the night at the team hotel and left it early Monday morning. "We normally meet at breakfast and no one knew where he had gone." Intikhab conceded that the incident was another blot on Pakistan cricket and could have been avoided if the wicketkeeper had acted more responsibly. "Let us see what happens because the board is investigating the matter. But it is a shock for us as well and we are disappointed with what happened," he added.

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'Panic-stricken' Pak wicketkeeper announces retirement from international cricket

Published>Tue, Nov 09 10 04:37 PM

Karachi, Nov 9 (ANI): Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider, who had mysteriously disappeared from Dubai and later resurfaced in London, has announced his decision to bow out from international cricket.

Haider declared this decision through a telephonic talk to Geo News, and added that he was writing to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in this regard.

The player confirmed that he was receiving threats from an unknown person, and thus he decided to leave Dubai immediately and went to London, where he is seeking asylum.

On his arrival in England, Haider had said that he had come on his own expenses there.

"I have come here on my own expenses on a one month visa. I will be staying at a hotel on my own expenses," Haider had told a private news channel after spending nearly four hours with immigration authorities at Heathrow Airport.

"I will speak in detail on the reasons for my decision to leave Dubai and come to London later on," he had added.

Panic-stricken Haider told Heathrow officials that he feared for his life after bent bookies vowed to murder him unless he agreed to rig international matches.

Earlier, the wicketkeeper had quietly slipped out of the Grand Hyatt in Dubai early on Monday morning and boarded a London-bound flight. The player did not even discuss his plans with any of his team officials or fellow teammates.

On the morning of Pakistan's final ODI match against South Africa, a message on Haider's Facebook wall read: "leaving Pakistan cricket because get bad msg fr 1 man fr lose the match in last game." just hours before the final one-day international against South Africa in Dubai. (ANI)

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Waiting in the wings, Awasthi fine-tunes skills

Published>Tue, Nov 09 10 04:23 PM

Two days before the start of their Elite Division match against Assam, Railways' best bowler and captain, Murali Kartik is putting his team's batsmen through their paces. With a glint in his trademark sunglasses, he flights a slow delivery with a blur of revolutions towards the batsman.

Prashanth Awasthi, though, is equal to the task. He leans forward into the cover-drive, then poses as if for a photograph. Murali simply smiles."That was definitely the best moment so far. Despite the fact that it was only a net session, I feel good because Murali bhaiya is such a senior bowler."

Despite only batting in the nets currently, Awasthi, who is only a shade over 20, almost made it to the playing XI in Railways' first match against Gujarat. He was the 12th man on the strength of back-to-back centuries ? 115 against Rajasthan and 135 not out against Uttar Pradesh ? in the CK Nayudu U-22 trophy this October. Awasthi, who captain of the Uttar Pradesh U-17 team, said that it was good feeling to play against his team-mates.

"When I came out to bat, there was a lot of good-natured sledging. He and several of the other players would say 'captain aa gaya, captain ko out karo' (the captain has come, let us get the captain out.) Sometimes they would also say 'captain, when will you make your Ranji debut'. I know they were joking but the thought does cross my mind from time-to-time. So I decided to make my innings count. In the last match against Rajasthan, I had scored a century (115), but had got out soon after. Against UP, I was determined to remain not out."

Awasthi only carried drinks for his team-mates and, being among the youngest members of the squad, was ribbed a fair bit. "It's a sort of ragging, but it's all in fun. Seniors like Sanjay Bangar also take the time out to help me with my batting and when it comes to giving me advice, no one ever refuses me."

But if Awasthi is looking to make his debut against Assam, he may have to wait. Railways coach Abhay Sharma feels while Prashanth is undoubtedly talented, it is too early to say whether he will get a chance in the playing XI against Assam. "We have a lot of experience and talent in the playing XI. It's hard to guarantee a place. But the season is long. He will definitely get a chance sometime this season. And then he will have to make it count."

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CWG to project India as sporting nation: Speaker

Tue, Nov 09 10 03:51 PM

New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) Lok Sabha Speaker Meria Kumar today said the just-concluded Commonwealth Games will act as a catalyst in projecting India as a sporting nation and motivate the youth to participate in sports events. "The Games will act as a catalyst in projecting India as a sporting nation and motive youth, particularly from small villages and towns, to come out and participate in sporting events," she in the House. Kumar said, "It is a matter of great pride to observe that a majority of victorious sportspersons are from a rural background. Women sportspersons too have proved their mettle in these Games by excelling in various disciplines," she said. The Speaker lauded the Indian contingent for winning and "unprecedented" 101 medals in the event. "I, on behalf of the House, congratulate all sportsmen and sportswomen who have won medals for their country. I also congratulate all sportspersons who participated in the Games in the true spirit of sportsmanship and friendship," she said. PTI NAB

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Man City will keep spending until they win Premier League title: Ferguson

Published>Tue, Nov 09 10 03:37 PM

London, Nov 9(ANI): Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes that Manchester City will keep on spending until they win the Premier League title.

Ferguson's comment comes ahead of the league clash against City at Eastlands on Wednesday.

"We know the kind of money they're spending - they've bought another five or six players in the summer and they'll keep doing that until they win something," the Telegraph quoted Ferguson, as saying.

"You know that's going to be the way it is and you have to deal with it as it comes along."

"They're up there, and you can't wait until tomorrow when there's something there today. I'm sure they're thinking that way themselves," he added.

United currently has a three-point lead over City. (ANI)

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Ferguson, Khawaja selection is good news for Hussey

Published>Tue, Nov 09 10 03:07 PM

Sydney, Nov.9 (ANI): The selection of Usman Khwaja and Callum Ferguson for the Australia A game against England starting in Hobart on November 17, suggests the Australian selectors will stick with incumbent middle order for the opening Test of the Ashes in Brisbane on November 25.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Mike Hussey looks safe with chief selector Andrew Hilditch saying that his previous deeds for Australia and his career average of 50 will be considered at the selection meeting later this week.

Western Australian captain Marcus North has also been under pressure with his five career Test centuries sprinkled among numerous low scores.

The Ashes squad will be named on Monday - before the Australia A game - and Hildtich conceded that selectors have had a firm preference for the Australian squad for some time.

Ferguson and Khawaja are the players applying the most pressure on Hussey and North, and their performances against England could make them next in line should Australia lose the First Test and either Hussey or North fail in Brisbane.

Phil Hughes is still the top contender for a top order position should Australian opener Simon Katich not prove his fitness before the opening Test.

The team is as follows: Australia A: Cameron White (capt, Vic), Tim Paine (v-capt, Tas), Mark Cameron (NSW), Callum Ferguson (SA), Peter George (SA), Phil Hughes (NSW), Usman Khawaja (NSW), Shaun Marsh* (WA), Steve O'Keefe (NSW), Steve Smith (NSW), Mitchell Starc (NSW). (ANI)

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Harbhajan sings Martin's praise after knocking off a ton in Ahmedabad Test

Published>Tue, Nov 09 10 02:57 PM

Ahmedabad, Nov.9 (ANI): Black Caps fast bowler Chris Martin has won high praise for his first test efforts from Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh after the latter knocked off his first Test century in an almost lost cause to take India to a draw.

Not so long ago the champion off spinner was renowned for his fiery temperament and an annoying habit of getting under the skin of the opposition.

But shortly after arguably his greatest achievement on the test stage, 30-year-old Harbhajan singled out Martin for credit where he thought the true credit was due.

"Hats off to this guy, he bowled his heart out. For me, he is the man of the match. To get five wickets on this pitch was something really special. A lot of credit must go to him," stuff.co.nz quoted Harbhajan, as saying.

He added: "I am really happy I did something in this game because there was nothing for the bowlers in this wicket." (ANI)

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Opposition in Victoria criticizes government on Tiger Woods appearance fee

Published>Tue, Nov 09 10 02:47 PM

Melbourne, Nov.9 (ANI): Opposition parties in the Australian state of Victoria have joined hands to criticize the state government over the appearance fee being forked out to get Tiger Woods to defend his Australian Masters title in Melbourne this month.

According to the Herald Sun, The Greens have joined the Coalition in a chorus of disapproval against chipping in for Woods' appearance fee, saying that the money would be better spent on "just about anything".

Their attack comes as the golfing star flew into Melbourne ahead of his appearance at the Australian Masters later this week.

Woods landed at Essendon Airport in his first trip back to Melbourne since winning the JB Were Masters here last year, just before his private life unravelled. (ANI)

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"No plan to change PCB boss as Butt doing 'pretty good job'": Zardari

Published>Tue, Nov 09 10 02:41 PM

Islamabad, Nov 9 (ANI): Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has refused to sack Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ijaz Butt, saying that there is no need to change the board official.

"I have no plan to change the chairman of PCB Ijaz Butt and there is no need to change him as he is doing a pretty good job," The News quoted Zardari, as saying in an interview on Monday.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was due to meet PCB's Patron-in-chief Zardari over the recent scandals in Pakistan cricket team and in the PCB, but the president's statement has now ended all speculations on Butt's future.

Replying to a question on poor management and mishandling of issues by the PCB chairman, Zardari said, "Every time when our team lose a match, people start to point the fingers on board but when Pakistan team win, these people praise the performance of the team."

In Pakistan cricket, where the President directly appoints the board chairman, Butt was brought in by Zardari who has been supporting him despite scathing criticism of his chairmanship.

Apart from the match-fixing scandal involving three key players, Pakistan has seen five different Test captains come and go in just over a year- Shoaib Malik, Younus Khan, Mohammed Yousuf, Shahid Afridi and Salman Butt, under Butt's chairmanship and has been under tremendous pressure to resign. (ANI)

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Guangzhou opens first driverless metro line ahead of Asian Games

Published>Tue, Nov 09 10 02:37 PM

Guangzhou (China), Nov.9 (ANI): South China's Guangzhou City, which is the host city for the upcoming Asian Games, opened its first driverless metro line Monday.

The four-kilometer-long line links Tianhe District to the north, crosses the Pearl River and ends at the Haizhu District to the south of the Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong Province.

The line passes through the populous central business district of Guangzhou and was built to alleviate the pressure of a parallel metro line, No 3 metro line, said Ding Jianlong, general manager of Guangzhou Metro Corporation.

Subway turns back to an orderly manner after the cancellation of free subway tickets charges the Guangzhou traffic authority announced last night.

The decision was made in consideration of the overloaded situation since a free charges policy has been applied on Nov.1.To offset the lose, transportation subsidiaries will be paid to local residents, Xinhua quoted the authority, as saying.

There is a station every 300 meters along the line.

The 16th Asian Games will be held in Guangzhou from November 12 to 27. (ANI)

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I was told there''d be a problem: Haider

Tue, Nov 09 10 02:21 PM

London, Nov 9 (PTI) After sensationally deserting his team midway through a series, Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider today sought political asylum in the UK due to the threats he received for refusing to fix an ODI against South Africa in Dubai. Haider fled to London on the day of the fifth and final one-dayer of the series against South Africa which Pakistan lost 2-3 last night. The 24-year-old, who hit the winning runs in the fourth ODI, claimed that he received threats for not agreeing to fix the match and met immigration officials at the Heathrow airport for close to five hours last night. "I understand there is a rule in Britain that if you are right and if you are not a criminal, then they always protect you," Haider told ''Geo News''. Haider said he received a message asking him to be a part of a match-fixing conspiracy ahead of the fourth one-dayer but refused to reveal the identity of the person who approached him. "I was approached by one person who asked me to fix the fourth and fifth match and there would be problem for me if I did not do it," Haider said. "I do not want to say who is involved and who is not involved in the match fixing," he added. "The country is like a mother and anyone who sells it cannot get anything in life. I did not want to sell my mother, I did not want to sell my country and I did what I thought was better." Haider took his passport from the team management after the fourth ODI on the pretext of buying a mobile connection but instead fled to London. "I did not do what I was asked to do in the fourth one-dayer and I also did not let it happen what was being asked to do, so this is the reason that I left the team and came here and I did what I felt better," he added. Security has been beefed up at Haider''s house in Lahore but the wicketkeeper, who has played just one Test and four ODIs, said he continues to fear for his family''s safety. "I cannot say what kind of threats I have received as my family is still in Pakistan," he said. The controversy surrounding Haider is the latest in the long list of setbacks that Pakistan cricket has suffered in the past few months. Just weeks before this furore, Test captain Salman Butt and the pace duo of Mohammad Aamir and Mohammad Asif were suspended by the ICC for his alleged involvement in the spot-fixing controversy during the tour of England this year. PTI PM CM

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'Panic-stricken' Pak wicketkeeper seeks asylum in UK after death threat from bookies

Published>Tue, Nov 09 10 02:17 PM

London, Nov 9 (ANI): Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider has sought asylum in England after resurfacing at Heathrow Airport following his mysterious disappearance hours before the fifth and final one-day international against South Africa in Dubai.

"Cricket's match-fixing scandal took an astonishing twist last night after Pakistan's wicketkeeper deserted his team to fly to Britain begging for asylum," The Sun reported.

Panic-stricken Haider told Heathrow officials that he feared for his life after bent bookies vowed to murder him unless he agreed to rig international matches, it added.

Earlier, Pakistan cricket officials had launched a frantic hunt when Haider vanished from the team hotel- Dubai's Grand Hyatt- early yesterday. He had asked them the night before to let him have his passport, saying that he needed it to buy a phone SIM card.

But a friend revealed that Haider had received a chilling ultimatum, warning him "Match haar jao" - meaning "Lose match" in Urdu, the paper said, adding that the cricketer told chum Sohail Imran about it in a text, and pleaded: "Pray to Allah for me."

Haider had privately voiced his anger over the scandal and alleged corruption within the Pakistan Cricket Board, and is believed to have clashed with team-mates and officials after being sent home with what was claimed to be a hand injury ahead of the third test against England in August.

"Zulqarnain has hinted the real reason he was sent home is because he refused to go along with match-fixing plans. His injury was so minor he could have continued to play, but he was not allowed, the paper quoted a source, as saying.He would never deliberately lose a match or drop a ball but he is also very aware that it leaves him in a difficult and dangerous position," the source added.

Meanwhile, Haider has said that he has arrived in England on a one-month visa.

"I have come here on my own expenses on a one month visa. I will be staying at a hotel on my own expenses," the Dawn quoted Haider, as saying to a private news channel after spending nearly four hours with immigration authorities at Heathrow Airport.

"I will speak in detail on the reasons for my decision to leave Dubai and come to London later on," the wicketkeeper added.

Lahore police official Rana Faisal said they were investigating Haider's disappearance. "We have received no official complaint but taking note of the media reports we have sent some officers to his house (in Lahore) to find out details," he said. (ANI)

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